Temporary binder



Dec. 5, 1939. E. w. ERICSON ET AL TEMPORARY BINDER Filed Dec. 7, 1938 2Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Dec. 5, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT orriceTEMPORARY BINDER Application December 7, 1938, Serial No. 244,336

6 Claims.

This invention relates generally to binders for pamphlets, magazines,books, booklets or other bound'forms and the like and more particularlyto binders of the type known as temporary binders used to hold insertsand other bound forms of different kinds, any of which may be removed orreplaced from time to time, as desired, or as may be necessary to keepthe contents of the binder'up to date. V

The object and general nature of this invention is the provision of atemporary binder arranged to have theappearance of a regular sewed andbound book but which is provided with suitable insert-engaging .meanswhereby the pamphlets, booklets, and the like can be inserted and heldsecurely in place so that it is impossible for them to fall out, withoutthe moving, adjusting or installation of wires or rods or the like,other than the closing of a hinged plate, and without requiring that thebooks, pamphlets or the like be punched, out or otherwise mutilated inany way.

Another important feature of this invention is the provision of atemporary binder having capacityto. hold a considerablenumberv ofinserts or books or a relatively large volume, such as state statutesand the like but so' constructed and arranged that the insertion of thebooks or pamphlets, can be easily accomplished and the insert orinserts'will be securely held in place. A further feature: ofthisinvention is the provision of a hinderwhich is easy to open forchanging the inserts and easy to close after the change has been made.

A further feature of this invention is the provision of pronged meanscarried by the back or backbone of the book which is so constructed andarranged that while a plurality of prongs is provided, the prongs arestaggered, that is, alternate ones are shorter than the others or somesimilar arrangement, so that the insertion of the pamphlet, bo'okorbooklets is appreciably facilitated since .all of the prongs do notenter the insert at the same time. Another feature of this invention isthe provision of improved supporting plates, one of which is fixed tothe back of the binder and the other of which is hinged thereto,carrying the prongs and so formed that the prongs are held rigidlyandfirmly in position with no tendency to twist out of position at anytime. It is a furtherfeature of this invention, which is of particularimportance ina binder of considerable size, is the provision .of .means.securing a tight,.firm hinge between the'sides of the binder andtheback thereof whereby an extremely strong and durable hinge isprovided forv the binder and which adequately resists the stressesimposed on the hinges by the relatively heavy weight of the insertscarried by the binder.

These and other objects and advantages of this invention will beapparent to those skilled in the art after a consideration of thefoliowing detailed description taken in conjunction with the accomrigidback with the spring latch secured theretobut before the other parts ofthe binder have been attached;

Figures 4 and 5 are perspective views of the rigid and hinged prongplates, respectively;

Figure 6 is a section taken along the line 66 of Figure 2;

Figure '7 is a somewhat diagrammatic view showingthe manner of'placingan insert in posi-' tion on the prongs of the fixed plate;

Figure 8 is a view similar to Figure '7 but illustrating the action ofthe hinged plate inswinging the same into position to hold the insert inthe binder.

Referring now to the drawings, more particularly to Figures 1 and 2,thebinder or cover in which the principles of the present invention havebeen embodied is indicated inits entirety by the reference numeral I andthe insertor inserts which the cover I is adapted to receive isindicated in its entirety by the reference numeral 2. As shown, theinsert 2 is in the form of a relatively voluminous book that might, forexample be of a volume of state statutes, a legal directory or the like.Heretofore, statute books, legal directories and the like have beenpublished periodically, usu ally every year or two, and provided withthe ordinary fixed' binding. This construction is, however, relativelyexpensive, considering the fact that every year or two the entire volumehas to be replaced. According to the present invention, we

I time. 7

, It is to be understood, however, that the presinserts of relativelysmall thickness which may or may not be bound as described above.

One particular construction which the present invention contemplates isthe provision of a temporary binder for a number of inserts with insertreceiving means especially adapted to accommor date thin supplementaryinserts which may be removed and replaced from time to time intermediatethe periods for removal and replacement of one or more of the inserts.Thus, the statute book, legal directory or whatever subject matter isincluded in the inserts may be kept up to date by removing and replacingthe supplements orone or more of the inserts without requiring the.re-.moval and replacement of an entire volume. der certain conditions, ofcourse, as first mentioned above, it may be desirable to provide only asingle but relatively thick insert depending, of course, on the subjectmatter.

The temporary binder 3 consists of a rigidback 6 and relatively heavycovers 7 and 8 hingedly connected to the sides of the back or backbone5. As-best shown in Figure 2, the back 6 consists of a relatively thickblock H, usually of wood but not necessarily so, and each ofthe covers 3and '23 includes a relatively heavy board 12 having abevelecl edge l3.The back H and the boards I? are covered with any suitable material,such as binding fabric, leather or the like, which is indicated by thereference numeral l5. Preferably, moreover, the material I5 isrelatively strong artificial narrow sides 24 and Zia-being disposedadjacent the beveled edges I3 of the cover boards l2,

" To provide a reenforced hinge between each of the covers and. therigid backwe provide a strip of canvas or other suitable materialindicated at 2i, and glue the same, as at 21a, to the itto the flatinner side thereof.

the other side of the rigid back 9| is made in the r bevel i3 of theadjacent cover and extend the same across the edge of the backbone andglue The hinge at same way. Then across both hinges and the inner face2| of the back l we provide a relatively heavy reenforcing cloth 29 andglue the. same to the inside margin of each of the cover boards 12, tothe adjacent portions of the hinge strip 2? and to the inner flat side2| of the rigid backbone ii. The binding is then completed by in sidepieces 3| whichare glued to the inside of each of the cover boards I2,and each extending from the flap I7 and over the reenforcing cloth 29'to a point inside of the hinge between the cover and the back.

When the binder is constructed in this manner,

there is a tight, firm hinge between the sides or cover of the binderand the back or backbone,

. and the hinge is extremely strong and durable andv is more thanadequate to accommodate the bone II is formed with notches 35 and 36 atthe ends of the rigid back, the notches or slots 35 and 36 extendinggenerally longitudinally inwardly and in a plane parallel to the planeof the inner surface 2|. An insert receiving prong plate, indicated in,its entirety by the reference numeral 4| and-best shown in Figures 2 andi, includes a plate member 42 having an edge 43 that is curvedtocorrespond to the curvature of the rigid back 6 (Figure 6). A tongueit has a flange 45 that is secured in any suitable manner 'to the plate42, as by spot welding 36.

. The plate 42 at its upper or inner edge is pro- "vided with abent-over margin 48 which is slotted at .49. This section of the plate42 carries a plurality of prongs 5|, and as best shown in Fig- "Qure i,the prongs 5| are arranged in pairs, being formed as a part of aU-shaped strip indicated in'its entirety by the reference numeral 53.The

intermediate portion 5iof each U-shaped strip is of the same dimensionas the distance between adjacent slots 49, whereby the tongues 5| can beinserted through the slots 49 in the plate 42. For purposes'of clarity,the nearest prong member 53 is omitted in Figure 4 and portions or theturned-over part 58 of thestrip 62 adjacent the next memberiii arebroken away. Certain of the other prongs have also been omitted in ordertov show the. member 43. It, will be seen that after the members 53 havebeen inserted through the slots 49 and the flange or margin bent'overinto the position shown in Figure 4, all of the prongs 5| are heldrigidly and firmly in position against displacement in any direction,and particularly against being twisted out of position, as

might occur if the prongs 5| were individually mounted as separate pinsrAs bestindicated in Figure 2, after the tongue 53 of the prong carryingplate member 4| is inserted in place in'the slot 35, a rivet 56 isdriven through the tongue t3 and the back H to hold the parts rigidlyandpermanently together. Preferably, the back II and the plate 43 areprovided with openings to receive the rivet 56..

The member 4| described above carries-the prongs 5| in fixed and rigidrelation with respect to the rigid back 6 of-the binder. At the otherend of the back 6 a second similar set of prongs are carried, but theseprongs are hingedly mounted and provided with suitable latch mechanismfor releasably holding the prongs in insert holding from .theinsert topermit the removal of the latter. r

Referring nowmore particularly to Figures 2, v

3 and :5, the reference numeral 6| indicates the hinged prong platemember which includes a plate 62 substantially identical with the. plate42 described above. The plate'62 also has a bentover setcion 63. whichis slotted at 64 to receive prong members 65. The latter are similar toor identical with the prong members 53,"described above, and arelikewise provided with prongs 66 which are. rounded and pointed at theirinner ends, this being to facilitate the entrance of the prongs inbetween, the leaves of the insertjto be secured in the binder.

It will be noted from .both Figures4 and 5, that certain of: the prongsare shorter. In the-preferred form one prong of each pairis shorterthan.

the other prongs, as shown in Figure 4', but ohviously one member, 52or.65,-could have'prongs shorter or longerth'an'the prongs of theadjacent member. This construction embodying prongs-of different length,whether; alternately short and long, or anyv other arrangement,-has theadvane; 1g

tage that it is easier to insert the prongs into an-insert where'some ofthe prongs are started in between the leaves before the others arestarted. This is especially true Wherethere are a con-' siderable;number of prongs, as illustrated, and where la relatively large amountof metal is to be inserted into the insert adjacent its back, thestaggered effect of the prongs permits onehalf of the prongs to enterfirst and theshorter prongs to enter later. This construction'is ofespecial importance in connection'with the hinged prong plate 8 I aswill'be explained below. The mounting of the prongs 66 in the plate 62is substantially the same as that described above in connection is notbelieved to be necessary.-

The hinge, best shown in Figure-5, by which the plate 62 is fastened tothe backbone II is indicated in its entirety'by the reference numeral 16and consistsof a long leaf or tongue H and a short leaf 12 fixed totheplate 62 in any suitable manner, as by spot welding; The pintleconnecting the leaves H and 12 is indicated at 15. The leaf 1| isapertured, as at 16, to receive.

. open to the position shown in dotted lines in Figures 2 and 8.

'The member 6| is releasably latched in closed position (Figure 2)bymeans of a flat spring 83 which is disposed in a notch or slot 84formed in the block and a registering notch 84a in the die cutplate 80.The inner end of the spring 83 isrigidly secured in the inner end of theslot 84 by fasteners 85, and the outer end of the spring 83 isformedwith a nose 81 which has a flange 88 of reversely bent formation.The nose 8'! is adapted t'denter a notch 9| cut in the plate '62,

and when the prong plate member 6| is closed,

the'nose 8'! of the 1atch83 is adapted to engage overthe inner edge ofthe opening 9| and securely-locks the hinged plate'member 6| in closedposition, as Shown in'Flgure 2. The latch may be releasedmerely bypressing on the flange 88 and'springing the member 83 toward the centerof the opening 9|. The inner edge 9|a. (Figure 2) cf the opening 9|is'beveled and cooperates with theflange' 88 to facilitate the lockingof the prong plate 6| in closed position.

The operation of our improved binder is substantially as follows:

When it is desired to place an insert in the binder, the latter issupported with the back flat and with the covers and 8 or at least oneof them, held upright so as to serve as sides to receive the insert,somewhat as indicated in Figure '7. Then with the insert 2 held by onehand and the binder with the other the insert is slid to the right(Figure 7) along the backbone 6 so as to force all of the rigid prongs5| in position bound volume, but is of course not necessary, and wherethe insert 2'is in the form of a number of booklets and the like,insertible singly, the prongs 5| may be of the same length. After theinsert 2 is forced over the prongs 5| and substantially up against theplate 42, as shown in Figure 8, the hinged prong plate member 6| is thenswung about its'hing'e axis 15 to cause the prongs 66 to enter betweenthe leaves of the insert 2 at the top of the latter. It will be notedthat whether the insert 2 be a single volume or a plurality of pamphletsorthe like, all the prongs are'inserted when the hinged plate 6| isclosed. Hence, in this case the staggered prong arrangement mentionedabove is quite desirable. Further, from Figure 8 it will be noted, notonly that the longer prongs 66 begin to enter first,-but that both setsof long and short prongs begin to enter between the leaves of the insert2 at points, indicated in Figure 8 by the reference character x, whichare I farther away from the back of the insertthan are the prongs whenthe hingedplate is finally swung into its locked position (Figure 2).During the time that the prongs 66 are being forced into the insert 2,it will be noted that the flange 88 of the latch 63 engages the innerwall of the opening 3| and as the'plate is swung inwardly rides over thewall edge 9|a sothat when the plate member 6| is fully closed againstthe insert the spring 63 snaps the nose 8? over the inner edge of theopening 9|, thereby automatically locking the hinged prong plate member6| in closed or locked position.

- The number of prongs 5| and 66 may vary as desired. If only singlevolumes are to be accommodated, as few as four or less prongs may besu-fiicient, but where the binder is to receive a number of pamphlets,supplements and the like, there should be at least as many prongs'ateach end as there are booklets to be accommodated.

It will be noted that reference was made to the fact that the bottom ofthe insert is placed'ag'ainst the fixed prong plate member 4|. This isnot essential, of course, but is desirableinasmuch' as when the book isplaced in upright position on a. shelf or the like, the'weight-of theleaves is borne by the fixed prong'plate member 4|,-.as shown inFigure 1. If the insert 2 were placed in the binder in the oppositerelation, the weight of the insert would be sustained principally by thespring latch 83. As shown,=however, where the weight of the insert isborne by the fixed prong plate member It will thus be noted that thehinged connection between the covers 1 and 8 and the back 6 of thebinder is sufficiently strong to accommodate all stresses imposedthereonby virtue of the weight of the insert.

It is an easy matter to remove any or all of the inserts, as desired.All that it is necessary to do is to spring the latch 83, and swing thehinged prong carrying plate 6| outwardly. Then the desired insert .orinserts may be removed and replaced by others. that it is only slightlymore difiicult to remove and replace the insert where the latterconstitutes the entire book 2 than is the case where there are a numberof inserts and they are removed and replaced one at a time. As shown inFigures 4.- and 5, certain of the prongs are closer together thanothers. The particular advantage of this arrangement is that the binderof our invention ac- In this case it may be noted commodates relativelythininserts, whicnmay'be in-the form of supplements to the main insert 01.:

inserts,

While we have shown and described above the preferred structuralembodiment in which the principles of the present invention have beenincorporated, it is to be understood that our inven-.

edgesof said back, there being slots at each end of the back disposedgenerally in the plane thereof, arigid plate disposed at one end of saidback and extending beyond the inner surface thereof, means on said rigidplate adapted to enter the slot at said one endyof'the back for holdingthe plate rigidlyin position, inwardly directed prongs car-- ried bysaid plate, a second plate disposed at the other end ofsaid back andalso overhanging the inner surface vof the latter, prongs carried bysaidsecond plate, hinge means connecting said second plate to .saidrigid, back and including one leai secured to said second plate and theother disposed rigidly in the slot at said other end of the back, therebeing an opening formed in said second plate adjacent the inner surfaceof said back, anda-spring member secured at its inner end to said backand having one end formed as a latch to enter said opening andreleasably hold said second plate in closed position.

2. A temporarybinder comprising a rigid back,

a pair of rigid covers hingedly connected to the edges of said back,there being slots at each end of the back disposed generally in theplane thereof, a rigid plate disposed at one end of said back andextending beyond the inner surface thereof, means on said rigid plateadaptedto enter the slot at said one end of the back for holding theplate rigidly in-position, inwardly directedprongs carried by saidplate, a second plate disposed at the other end of said back and'alsooverhanging the inner surface of the latter, prongs carried by saidsecond plate, hinge means connecting said sec ond plate to said rigidback and including one leaf secured to said second plate and the otherdisposed rigidly in the slot at said other end of the back, there beingan opening formed in said second plate adjacent the inner surface ofsaid back, saidback having arecess extending longitudinally of its innersurface and substantially in line with l the opening in said secondplate, and a spring j said members for-holding the position. a I

member disposed in said recess and having its inner end secured to saidback and its outer end formed as a latch to enter the; opening. in saidsecond plate and engage-the latter to hold it in closed position.

v 3.: A; temporary bindercomprisinga rigid back having agenerally flatinner surf ace andaround edouter surface, covers hingedly connected tothe sides of said rigidback, a prong-carryingplate rigidly secured to'one end 'of said back and hav-.

ing a part overhanging the inner surfaceof said back, the other edge ofsaid plate being curved to correspond generally to the curvature-"of therounded; outer surface of said-'back,', -a second;

prong-carrying platedisposed at the other end of'said rigid back andalso having apart over hangingthei inner surface of the backwith theopposite-edge curved to correspond to thecurva ture of the rounded outersurface of the back-,.

hinge means carried by theother end of said rigid back and connected tosaid second plate at apoint inwardly .of the, rounded edge thereof,,said other end of the rigid back having a recess to receive the roundedportion of saidsecond plate when the latter has swung outwardly. 4; -Abinder comprising a back,

covers hinged V thereto,--a plate connected to each endofsaid 1 back, &aplurality of U-shaped members, at'least one being-secured to each ofsaid plates and each of said'U-shaped membershaving its sides formedasprongs extending inwardly along the-inner side 1 of said back, andmeans carried by said plates and overlyinggthe intermediate portionsofeach of prongs thereof in 5. In a binder having a back, an insert-engaging part comprising a U-shaped Imember," the sides of whichextendgenerally'parallel and are 1 adapted to be? inserted between the-leavesof an insert, and an attaching member on the backfor said parthaving aportion bent over the interme,

diate lportion of said U-shaped member to hold the latter in position.=6. In a binder, adapted to releasably-receive an,

insert, an attaching member'for holdingthe'insert inpositijonrcomprising a plate having a plu-v rality of slots formedtherein adjacent one edge,

and a plurality of U-shaped strips, the ends .ofwhich are formed to bereadily inserted between the leaves of said insert, the ends of saidU-shaped' l strips being received, within said slots and the slottedportion of said plate being bent back on itself toclamp all of saidU-shaped members to the,plate.. v w

I V ELMER' W. ERICSON.

RUDOLPH BRAUER.

